This invention relates in general to electrical space heaters.
Generally, electrical heaters for enclosed spaces in buildings or the like, employing standard resistance heating elements, as referred to for example in U.S. Pat. No. 4,012,794 to Eder, conducting electrical current through a ceramic coated, continuous wire coil to generate heat. The heat is radiated from the coil assembly by heat conductive fins. Such heaters draw relatively high current and operate at relatively high temperatures in order to effectively radiate heat to a relatively large air space. For example, a commercially available baseboard heater operated at 120 VAC having an overall length of 14 inches consumes 4.17 amperes, reaches a temperature of 390.degree. F. with a substantially constant ohmic resistance.
Apparatus utilizing a high frequency generator as a source of energy is also known for treating liquid as disclosed for example in U.S. Pat. No. 3,641,302 to Sargent and for induction heating purposes. Such apparatus are not suitable for space heating purposes and are not economically feasible in connection therewith.
It is therefore an important object of the present invention to provide an economical heater of the electrical type which will be more effective in radiating heat in response to current flow through a conductive medium supplied directly from available power sources.